The associate's degree program will be offered beginning in August at PHCC's East Campus in Dade City. It will serve students who want to go into fire-related careers, such as fire inspectors and insurance investigators, as well as current firefighters, said PHCC dean of workforce development Ed Goolsby.

Goolsby will oversee the new program, which he said was established after numerous requests from local fire departments and agencies. He expects current firefighters to make up the bulk of fire science technology students because a degree from the program will help them move to the "next level."

The program will include online and night class options to accommodate firefighters' schedules, he said.

A PHCC news release cautioned that this is not a firefighting certification program. The program can, however, prepare students for jobs including fire inspectors and investigators, insurance inspectors and building inspectors.

The program was approved by Florida State Fire College's Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, according to the release.

Goolsby said PHCC has been receiving phone calls expressing interest in the program, and he said he has received five or six himself in the past few days.

For more information, call PHCC Public Service Programs at (352) 518-1361 or (352) 518-1367.

Clare Lennon can be reached at clennon@tampabay.com or (727) 869-6262. Twitter: @clarelennon.

There is a reason why the air in Tampa Bay is filled with playoff talk. If Thursday night's 12-8 Bucs preseason win over the Jaguars is any indication, it's also going to be filled with footballs thrown by quarterback Jameis Winston.